Verisimilitude
by Related To Italy
Summary: Feliciano and his brother were running, but where to? To train for the Military Police . . . it's their last hope now. But when they get to the training grounds, the Vargas brothers find that their agile and light bodies are well suited to 3D Maneuver Gear. Though their aerial combat is amazing, there are a lot of amazing students this year, all ready to change the world they know.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"Move it!" A shove in the shoulder and Feliciano stumbled on, his shoes slapping painfully on cobblestone road. He was out of breath, and tired.  
"F-fratello." He gasped, his knees almost giving out, "Fratello, I'm-" Even those words were hard to speak, leaving Feli breathless and unable to complete his sentence. They had been running on foot for days without a break. If Feli was tired, then his brother, Lovino, was exhausted. Not only had Lovino fought their way out of the town, but he constantly misdirected their pursuers as Feliciano rested. And yet . . . Feli looked back to his brother with a single minded determination in his eyes. Wincing, Feli turned to face the front again, and forced himself to keep running.  
"There they are!" came a shout and the thundering of hooves grew louder.  
"Dammit!" Feli heard his brother curse under his breath. "Run, Feli!" he shouted, pushing his little brother's shoulder once again. "Get to the next town and hide!" With that he skidded to a stop, using his kinetic force to spin himself around on his heel, pulling two dueling knives concealed under his shirt. Feli stopped as well, pulling his own dueling knives, and turning to stand beside his brother. Bright hazel eyes flickered over to meet amber-colored ones as the brothers stared at each other. A silent conversation passed between them instantly. Finally, Lovino fixed his eyes on the approaching group of horses, shifting into a familiar fighting stance. "Idiota." He muttered and Feli couldn't stop the smile from his face. Despite such horrible conditions, his brother still retained that attitude, huh?  
That's when one pulled a firearm.  
Ice cold fear stilled the two brothers. Civilians weren't supposed to have guns! Especially not within the more populate areas. The six riders formed a circle around the two, Feli moving so he was back to back with Lovino.  
"How the hell did you get that?" Lovino asked, glancing warily at the gun while he pierced the leader with a glare that could peel paint.  
"You're lucky we only brought one you bastards." He snarled, and nodded to the gunman who loaded and locked the gun, pulling it to his shoulder.  
"See ya." He said, aiming at Lovino's chest.  
"Not. So. Fast." The party froze, and they all turned to look down the road they came up from. Standing there was a group of four, all of distinctly different ethnicities. There was a blond German, hugely muscled and looking exasperated and uncomfortable as he stood with his legs apart and arms across his ripped chest. Lovino hated him instantly if for no other reason that he had muscles. Both Vargas brothers were slim and thin and sometimes mistaken as girls, which lead to the habit of flirting constantly with any attractive female. Behind the tall boy, stood another blond, with longer hair and a slimmer form; he was dressed impeccably to the nines. The next one spotted was a dark-skinned, curly-haired boy with bright green eyes. He was looked serious currently, the cords in his arms bulging with tension. The last one shocked them all: he was an albino. Skin as pale as clouds and hair like the lightest sunlight, his red eyes skimmed over them dispassionately. The long haired blond stepped forward.  
"Let those ladies-"  
"I'M NOT A FUCKING WOMAN DAMMIT!" Lovino screamed, yanking the gun from the horseman's hand. Feliciano dashed between two men, the two daggers digging deep into their stomachs. Lovino whirled around, shooting haphazardly. The chamber emptied quickly and Lovino switched his grip so he could use it as a bashing weapon. With the heavy butt of the weapon, he hit the first man's face hard enough to shatter his nose and knock him from his seat. He pivoted, smashing his weapon at the base of the spine of the next man. Breathing heavily, Lovino spun around to check for his brother. The boy had successfully taken care of the other part of the half dozen men that hunted them down.  
"Fratello!" He also had the reins of two horses in his hands. Lovino grinned, taking a horse.  
"Good thinking, Feli." He complimented as they swung up onto their horses. "Hya!"  
"Thanks for distracting them!" Feli called over his shoulder, leaving the quartet staring at their dust.  
After a silence, the long haired blond spoke again.  
"That." He said, "I did NOT expect." The rest could only nod their agreement.

"I think we're far enough." Lovino said, pulling up on the reins of his horse.  
"Ve~ That's good." Feli said wispily. "It was getting tiring, running all that time. But fratello, where can we go now? The Boss won't like it that we ran away." Lovino grit his teeth at the mention of the Boss. They had been working for him for a month or so, but then he tried to attack Feli. When Feli fought back, he wanted both their heads. And so they had to run. Again. He looked behind them, but saw no pursuers. He knew it wouldn't last. One didn't earn the title of 'Boss' by letting his enemies go. He nudged his horse to walk again.  
"Fratello?" Feli asked, peering worriedly at his older twin's face. A scowl twisted his older brother's features, continually scrunching up until he closed his eyes with a big sigh.  
"I can't think of anywhere, Feli." He admitted. "I can't think of a place where we could be safe. Wall Sina? But that's impossible for penniless orphans like us." He kept muttering to himself.  
"I know a place." Feli said quietly. Lovino sighed, already knowing what Feli was speaking of.  
"No, Feli, we can't."  
The younger sibling's amber eyes brightened with emotion, "But Grandpa-!"  
"Grandpa is dead!" Lovino shouted over him. He paused when he saw his brother's face. "He's dead." Lovino repeated quietly, "But I promised to him that I would keep you from danger. Joining the Survey Corps would put you in the direct line as Titan fodder!"  
"But you said it yourself!" Feli said, "There's nowhere else to go!"  
Lovino scowled. "Not there!" he said, kicking his horse into a trot.  
"We don't have to join the Survey Corps!" Feli cried.  
Realization sparked instantly.  
"We could join the Military Police." Lovino muttered, his grip on the reins slackening. "And we would be in Wall Sina, protected by the laws of the Military!" His voice had risen with each word. "Feli you're amazing! I know just where to go!" He kicked his horse into a gallop and Feliciano had no choice but to follow.

A man stood ramrod straight, looking straight ahead, in fear of the one who sat before him. The seated figure was slight, and delicate looking; no cause for any sort of alarm. Just a normal person; not suspicious at all. However . . . the papers that the shadowed figure was looking at floated lightly to the floor. The man gulped, sweat trickling at his temples and down his back.  
"I hope you don't think this is enough to satisfy me." The figure said, it's voice colder than ice.  
The man swallowed, "W-well, no sir. B-but that's all that we have so fa-" In a split second, the figure was standing on the desk, a fist twisting the collar of the man, lifting him up inches off the ground. Fear gripped the man, and he just barely controlled his bladder.  
"It's not enough!" the figure snarled, shaking the poor man. Abruptly, the figure dropped the man, letting the messenger scramble to his feet. "Go! I don't want to see anyone from your department unless you have solid evidence to give me." A moment of hesitation from the man and: "LEAVE!" the figure roared and the man turned and sprinted out and away.  
Away from the monster in a human's skin.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Read the note at the bottom please.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or Shingeki no Kyojin**

_

Chapter 2:

"Thirty seven!" the woman hissed, biting her thumbnail. "Thirty seven percent lost! Damn it!" With a fling, Elizaveta Héderváry swept her papers from her desk onto the floor, standing with the motion and then immediately clamping down on her emotions. She had gotten this position with too much work and effort for it to go down the drain if they thought she couldn't handle the post. With a scowl, she remembered the whispers and rumors that surrounded her. Yeah, she was a woman, and somehow that made her unable to lead the Survey Corps?  
Bullshit.  
Since she took the position, losing even 25 percent was beginning to become unheard of. But did anyone credit that to her? No, they complimented the well-workings and the talent of the soldiers in her army. She grit her teeth, grinding them down.  
"Liza . . . it wasn't your fault." Roderich's voice said behind her, soft and gentle. _Him too?_ Elizaveta thought. _At this rate I'll never get recognition._  
"I know Roderich." She said, taking her seat again. "But we won't have any new recruits until after this season." She clicked her tongue, leaning to rest her chin in her palm. "If only Johann didn't get so many of our people killed; I knew I should have waited until I promoted him." She rubbed her face tiredly. "Why do people die, Roderich?" The man came forward to comfort his long time childhood friend, when she continued speaking, her next words making him pause. "Don't they know how much harder it makes my job? They could at least try not to get eaten." Roderich cracked a bitter smile.  
"We can't all be perfect like you Elizaveta. Your skill set is special to say the least."  
"I know, I know. Would you get Vash for me? It seems like he's getting a promotion after all. And here I wanted to keep grooming him." Roderich nodded, leaving his friend in her office as he lightly stepped down the stairs to fetch Elizaveta's little protégé.

"You? Join the Military Police?"  
"Yeah, and?" Lovino asked, glaring at the boy sitting in front of him. There were about 15 kids, a mixture of boy and girls, on their way to the training grounds. Behind them was another wagon filled likewise.  
"Nothing. You just have to be the best of the best to get into the Military Police. I hear that they only take the top ten students."  
"Then all we have to do is make it into the top ten." Lovino said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back into his jostling wooden seat.  
"Oh?" the boy said, his overly large eyebrows rising, "You seem quite confident about yourself. How old are you anyways?" The boy said, his attitude beginning to tick Lovino off.  
"How old do you think I am?" the hazel-eyed boy retorted. The blond male looked Lovino over slowly, trying to use his brain and analyze him. From the expression on his face, it wasn't going too well.  
"Sixteen?" he said.  
There was a long pause before: "Sure, that's a good age. I'm sixteen."  
The blond shot to his feet, "That was an incredibly suspicious answer!" he yelled, pointing at Lovino and slipping into a strange accent.  
"Keep it down back there!" the driver shouted over everyone. "Stop rocking the wagon!" The boy sat down immediately and scowled, but remained silent. Lovino ignored him, choosing instead to look out the back of the wagon. When he and Feli had ridden into town on the stolen horses, they sold the mounts and used the money to buy better clothes. After changing, they went to the town main and signed up for the trainee recruit roster. With the remaining money, they bought a room for the night; the next day they were on the wagon and heading towards the training grounds. A weight fell onto his right shoulder and Lovino looked down to see Feli fast asleep. For a few seconds, Lovino considered jerking away and waking Feli up, but in the end he stayed still, letting his little brother sleep. Feli had always been weaker than him and their grandfather had tasked him with the upkeep of his little brother's good health. Although he might not like his grandfather, he respected him and that's why he had stuck with his brother despite the trouble Feli brought. _He's a magnet for disaster._ Lovino thought, chuckling, and brushed a strand of hair away from his face. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, and he let them drift shut to get some much needed sleep. With his eyes closed, he didn't notice the inquisitive eyes fixed on the two brothers, watching them in their sleep.

"Agh! This sucks~!" A certain albino moaned, sprawling across the three laps of his best friends and his brother. His stern blond brother breathed in deeply.  
"Gilbert." He said, "Would you please sit up?" His eyes were clenched shut and his forehead was crinkled in suppressed emotion. Rage, Gilbert guessed, or annoyance. "You are disturbing the other passengers." Gilbert lifted on pale eyebrow and looked down the length of his body where both his friends, Francis and Antonio, were fast asleep.  
"I don't think I am, actually. Loosen up Ludwig; this might be our last chance to relax." Despite his words, Gilbert swung his body up again and sat like everyone else in the wagon. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Hey," he said, talking to the slight figure in front of him. This person had particularly interested him from the moment they got on the wagon. For one, he couldn't figure out what sex the person was; whoever he was wore a heavy cloak that completely covered his body and the cowl left his entire face in the shadows. Gilbert couldn't see how large he was or anything. He could have been as large as Ludwig or as small as those two boys they had encountered on the road. The hooded person didn't respond to Gilbert's call.  
"Hey~!" he said in a sing song voice, "I'm talking to you." He reached to grab the hood, intending to flick it back, but a hand shot out and gripped his wrist, effectively immobilizing him. Gilbert looked down at the hand, shocked.  
It was about the size of his . . . when he was ten years old.  
"Don't touch me." The figure said its voice husky and undeniably like a young girl trying to make her voice gruff.  
"You're a girl aren't you?" It was more of a statement than an actual question. The figure didn't respond. "How young are you? Who are you?" When his questions didn't get answers and the girl didn't release his arm, he jerked her towards him, and found that she was much lighter than he originally thought. She nearly flew into him, her hood knocking back to reveal blond hair and soft green eyes set into a young girl's face no older than twelve years old.  
"You are way too young to be here." Ludwig said, having watched the spectacle silently. No one else in the wagon acknowledged them, having become caught up in their own conversations.  
"Am not." The girl said, her green eyes hardening a bit. "I'm fifteen. I pass the qualifications." While Ludwig nodded, taking her at her word, Gilbert was more doubtful.  
"Impossible." Gilbert scoffed. "There's no way you could. Fifteen? Ridiculous."  
"I am Ludwig Beilschmidt." Ludwig said, while Gilbert looked at his brother with his red eyes wide and his mouth in a little 'o' of surprise. "This is my brother, Gilbert." He held his hand out and the girl shook, further accenting her slightness.  
"Pleasure." She said, folding her hands back into her lap and skipping over Gilbert's handshake completely. Not that he offered, of course. "The name is Zwingli. Lili Zwingli."  
_

**A/N: I forgot to mention, but this story takes place 400 years before Eren and the rest even exist. This is kind of like a prequel I guess? I'm pretending that the building of the Walls started a new age starting from year 1 so it's year 250 now.**

Stick around, my friends; things are only just beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

They stood at attention in the baking sun. After being given uniforms (which they put on with much difficulty), they were shown the proper salute and how to stand. Then they were marched outside and arranged into rows and told to stand as they were told. And . . . hold it. They waited thirty minutes outside when a man finally came out to look them over. He had short and shaggy black-brown hair with a tiny beard that was more like a gathering of hairs on his chin. He wore the uniform well, the emblem that of crossed swords. He wore a dark green shirt and brown pants instead of the standard white combination. In addition to that, he wore a white scarf, jumbled about his shoulders and neck. He walked around their exact lines, and none of the recruits dared to move; they knew instinctually who he was. He was infamous due to his new training ideas and cutting edge improvements to the 3D Maneuver Gear. He stopped right next to boy with large eyebrows. He saluted quickly.  
"Do you know who I am?" he asked softly, yet his voice carried across the yard.  
"Yes sir!" the boy said at the same noise level.  
"WHO AM I?" the man suddenly screamed in his face. To his credit, the boy didn't flinch. Too much.  
"YOU ARE SADIQ ANNAN, TRAINING MASTER OF US RECRUITS!" the boy screamed in response.  
"Good." Sadiq said, straightening to his full height of 184 centimeters. "Who are you?"  
"I am Arthur Kirkland, sir!" Arthur shouted, "From the-" he faltered.  
"FROM WHERE SOLDIER?!" Sadiq bellowed.  
"FROM WALL SINA SIR!" Arthur shouted, his eyes clenched shut from fear. Murmurs flooded the yard. Why would a spoiled kid from Wall Sina become Titan fodder? Unless he was planning to join the Military Police? What a stuck up brat.  
"And you soldier?" he asked the boy right next to Arthur, silencing the yard with a wave of his hand. "Who are you and where are you from?"  
The boy smiled brightly, his blue eyes sparkling. "Alfred F. Jones is the name sir!" he said, "I'm from Wall Sina too!" He paused, "Sir." He added as an afterthought. Then he smiled brightly again. Whispers rose again; and again silenced by a motion from Sadiq. Without another word, he moved on down the line, looking over the recruits with eyes a shade of hunter green. He stopped in front of another recruit and asked the same question: "Who are you and where are you from?"  
"I am Kiku Honda." The soldier said in a calm voice, loud enough but also quieter than the other two. "I am from the town of Trost." Sadiq passed him with a nod and Kiku dropped his salute. He stopped in front of a girl next. She had silvery blond hair and stern light blue-violet eyes. She was very pretty, that much Lovino saw; but there was something about her that set him on edge.  
"And you soldier?"  
She saluted perfectly and answered in a cold, concentrated voice. "I am Natalia Alfroskaya, from Karanese District." She said, her accent slurring her words a bit. Someone snickered, as her pronunciation of her name sounded like 'afro'skaya. Instantly, her gaze locked onto where the sound came from and a blur of silver flashed in the sunlight. The next thing, a boy was pinned to the ground, his jacket stuck through with small knives. Lovino let out an appreciative whistle. He was a pretty good shot himself, but to pin a human without harming? He wasn't that confidant.  
Sadiq was less pleased with her skills.  
"Fifty laps around the premises, Natalya Alfroskaya." She looked like she might snub his order but with a nudge from the boy beside her, she left with a scowl and curses in a different language. Then Sadiq pitched his voice so it would carry over the yard. "I won't tolerate any fighting between the recruits. I don't care if it insults your heritage, your home, or yourself. Since it's the first day, I went easy on her. From tomorrow out, any fighting will result in 100 laps around the premises." He announced. Then he turned and began to walk away.  
"Dismissed!" he called, as he was leaving their line of sight and the neat lines collapsed and the recruits were lead to their rooms.

Lovino sat down hard on his bed, throwing himself on the thin mattress.  
"God that was exhausting. Making us move like that the day after we get here." He said, crossing his arms behind his head and laying down. Feliciano nodded, taking off his jacket and gear, then began to stretch to cool down. Lovino saw this and groaned again, sitting back up and joining in with his brother. They knew well enough that not stretching after such a work out would make their muscles cramp. Lovino cast a glance around at some of the kids who didn't do so, just sitting down or laying down. But he also saw some who were doing the same. His gaze locked onto a larger body with blond . . . hair . . . Lovino's brow crinkled, why did he look so familiar?  
Then he saw a head of white hair.  
His eyes widened as the other blond and the curly-haired one came to talk to the two.  
"You're fucking kidding me."

Lili sat on the edge of her bed, after stretching out, and waited for the dinner bell to ring. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her legs and she just watched as the girls wiped sweat from their bodies and changed their clothing. Lili sat in the clothes she wore when she came, having no change of clothes.  
"Hey there." Said a voice behind her. Lili turned around so quickly her back cracked. She winced as the other girl laughed. Lili took in her appearance. Her chestnut colored hair was pulled back tightly into a high ponytail, the tip of it brushing shoulder blades; she was tanned and had pale freckles dotting her skin. Her eyes were a startling topaz, almost a gold color. A grin was fixed on her face, showing off rather sharp looking canines. In a tank top and the white bottoms issued, Lili could see that not only was this girl well-built and muscled, she had a fine figure as well.  
"Hi." Lili said quietly.  
"That's not good." The girl told her, "Here, you need to be aggressive!" she smiled again, sending mixed signals. She held her hand out to Lili to shake. "I'm Kristy Pisan. You?"  
Lili took the hand carefully, giving one firm shake before letting go. "Lili Zwingli." She said.  
"Zwingli?" Kristy asked, "Not as in the Survey Corps Commander's left hand man Zwingli?"  
Lili hesitated, then nodded. Kristy let out a low whistle and leaned back on her arms.  
"You might not want to tell anyone that. They'll start expecting things of you. And no offense, but you don't look strong enough to do a push up, let alone dig blades into the flesh of a Titan."  
Lili felt anger bubbling up inside her and her eyes and voice went flat. "I am strong." Kristy blinked. Then she laughed. Lili was startled.  
"That's a good look, Lili. Very nice and determined." Her next smile wasn't a nice as her other ones. It was cold and evil. "But strength and determination aren't enough here." She slid Lili a glance that sent shivers down the smaller girl's spine. Kristy leaned forward.  
"Are you brave, little girl? Are you smart? Titans aren't the only monsters, you know." The topaz eyes were down right terrifying. The dinner bell clanged loudly and Kristy seemed to snap out of whatever daze she was in. She flashed Lili a smile. "Looks like dinner's ready! Let's go!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Only a few weeks in and Lovino grasped the rope of the place immediately. Feli did as well, and they excelled at the physical part of training. The book learning though . . . They couldn't pay attention for a more than a minute. The brothers daydreamed or drew on the paper meant for notes. This one day, Lovino looked around the class room instead. He marked out the different people, categorizing them to help remember them. He felt a bit better about not paying attention to class when he saw other slackers around the class. That's when it happened.  
The teacher turned his back to write on the chalk board and a paper folded into a gliding device drifted across the class. Almost as if in slow motion, the teacher started to turn. Lovino saw everything play out as if people were moving through molasses.  
Kiku Honda reached up as the paper airplane flew near his hand and crumpled it neatly in his hand. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he threw the ball of paper into his other hand and kept his other hand up.  
"Yes?" the teacher asked, seeing only Kiku's raised hand.  
"I had a question about the Titans themselves . . ." the boy said, and the entire class let out a breath of relief. Lovino was in awe. He didn't think someone could move that fast.  
Lovino classified Kiku Honda as 'special'.

When the lunch bell rang, everyone crowded Kiku and applauded him. Instant popularity.  
"Ve~ I don't get it." Feli said, "Why's he popular again?"  
"Idiota." Lovino said, though not meaning it, "If Kiku hadn't gotten rid of the paper flying thing like he did, and the teacher saw, all of us would be in trouble."  
"Oh~!" His brother said, realization dawning. "Then we should say thank you as well!"  
"Wait, what?" But his brother was already jogging off to Kiku who had finally managed to get rid of most of their classmates. "Dammit!" Lovino cursed and jogged after his brother.  
"Ve~ Kiku!" Feli shouted, waving his arm manically as he jogged towards the Asian man. He looked startled and bit put out, as if he had been looking forward to disappearing for a while.  
"Yes, Feliciano?" he said politely instead. Feli gasped.  
"You know my name?" he asked in awe.  
Kiku nodded, "I know the names of all of our classmates." He said, just as Lovino came to the end of his jog by his brother. "Hello, Lovino." The older Italian nodded.  
"Hey." Lovino looked towards the mess hall, "We better get moving if we want to eat." He said, and the three went off with Feli frantically thanking Kiku and Lovino remaining silent, merely listening to their conversation.

It was after lunch when things got more interesting if possible.  
They were doing construction.  
They were building large, upright things that looked like over large swing sets, but not quite. Sadiq didn't even bother explaining what it was, he just handed them over to a teacher called Eduard Von Bock.  
"Get a move on!" he called out for the fiftieth time, then turned to Lovino. "Drill here, here and here." He said, "And make sure they remain secure. These structures are going to be pretty important." And then he walked off.  
"Pretty important." Lovino mocked, "Why can't they just tell us what they're going to be?"  
"That'd be too easy." Came a feminine voice as pieces of wood clattered beside him. Lovino looked up to see a girl sit on the log he was working on with a hammer in her hand and nails stuck into her hair bun. Lovino raised an eyebrow, taking in her sweaty appearance. She wore an off-white tank top and white pants tucked into the high boots and belt gear all in place. Her jacket was tied around her waist, so dirt wouldn't get on her pants. She hammered in a nail at a marked spot and started hammering in another when she realized Lovino hadn't moved or responded. Her eyes met his, a mirror of his inquisitive one-eyebrow-raised look. Topaz to hazel.  
Lovino would know those eyes anywhere.  
"You-!" he said, choking on his words.  
"It's been a while, hasn't it Lovino?" she said coyly, a smirk curling across her face. Her eyes sparkled like jewels and Lovino easily recognized the mirth and amusement in them.  
"How did you-?" he began again, then stopped, "Are you really-?"  
She sat up again, looking straight at him.  
"Am I really what, Lovino? I'd have thought you'd learn to speak up by now; it's been long enough."  
He scowled, annoyance gnawing at his gut.  
"What are you doing here Kristy?" he hissed.  
"The same thing you're doing, dear Lovino." She leaned forward again.  
"I'm going to kill those bastards who slaughtered our families." She smiled at him, heartbreakingly brilliant, "What about you, Lovino? What are you doing in the one place your Grandfather forbade you to come to?"  
Lovino glared, then stood and walked away, struggling to keep a lid on his temper.  
He wouldn't fight. He wouldn't. But damn did he want to.

"We've got it! If we match these red lengths to the blue ones, then all we need is . . ." The man tuned out what the scientists were talking about. He couldn't understand it, and couldn't remember it, so it didn't matter what they said. All he needed to know was that they made progress and where they kept their hard copy of their research. If he could get that to his boss, maybe he'd be allowed to see his family again.  
But that all depended on his ability to steal those documents.  
And he wasn't at all sure he could.  
But-  
The sound of a blade sliding from its sheath was less than a whisper; a whisper those poor scientists couldn't hear.  
With a deep breath, the man stood and with his hands behind his back, began to walk towards the scientists.  
"Good day, sirs." He said, smiling, "I have a question for you . . ."

Elizaveta rubbed her eyes, exhausted beyond belief and up to her eyes in paperwork. Why was she doing this? She was supposed to be out there, beyond the walls! Not trapped here! With a sigh, her shoulders drooped. But here she was.  
_Thirty seven percent, remember?_ She told herself. _Thirty seven percent_.  
She doubted she could handle any more bad news.  
The door burst open, shocking Elizaveta into standing up. The ashen and grim looks on Roderich and Vash made her heart sink. She swallowed.  
"What is it?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.  
The two men looked reluctant to speak. Vash shut the door as Roderich crossed the room to meet her halfway. He grabbed her shoulders and leaned in, his lips right next to her ear.  
"The Archives." Was all he said and yet Elizaveta felt a deep, cold fear run through her. Elizaveta grabbed her jacket from Vash.  
"We go." She said, "Only us three. Right now."  
"Yes, Commander." They said, and followed their grim-faced leader out of her office.

The shadowed person looked out the window at the moonlight splattered land, back facing the door. When it opened, the person didn't move.  
"We have the papers." The newcomer said, tossing them onto the large desk. The figure turned around then, and flipped through the documents the newcomer brought.  
"Very good, Hund." The figure said, "Anything else?" Hund sat down had into one of the guest chairs.  
"Nope, our man did exactly what he was told. We're taking care of him right now."  
"Did they see his face?"  
Hund frowned, "Does it matter? He's seen ours, that's enough to off him."  
The figure sat behind the desk, slipping the papers into a drawer. "Get rid of his body properly this time."  
"That's just like you." Hund chuckled, rising to his feet again. "Don't worry about it." He glanced back once at the threshold of the door.  
"Things are going along well, aren't they, Master Jäger?"  
With that, he was gone.  
"Impertinent dog." Jäger muttered, "If you're not careful, you'll be culled."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The next two weeks went well for Lovino. For one, he didn't meet that bitch called Kristy again, neither had she met with Feli. For another, he and Feli got closer to Kiku, and the Asian boy helped them with their classwork. They kept to the construction work and Lovino made painstakingly sure that his trio didn't go near the quartet of boys from the road, whose names he quickly learned.  
Ludwig Beilschmidt was the large blond one. His classwork was impeccable, as was his hand to hand combat. He followed orders quickly and preformed them to the tens. He was the perfect soldier.  
Then came the loser trio; all of them incredible idiots, yet somehow skilled.  
The albino was Gilbert Beilschmidt, Ludwig's brother, though their personalities were so different that Lovino suspected some foul play or adoption was involved. He always boasted about himself and his deeds. He used the words 'awesome' and 'five meters' way too often and while Lovino wanted to write him off as a useless idiot . . . that boy could _move_. Lovino, even with all of his training, had never seen a person move that fast. He had an interesting fighting style, which combined with his speed, made a deadly combination.  
The other blond, with the frivolous long hair, was called Francis Bonnefoy. He was a pretty one, that was obvious to anyone who bothered to look, but he flirted with girls nonstop and by now Lovino was betting his legs were pretty strong due to all of the laps he's had to run. At first, Lovino couldn't pin what his strong point was. Then after seeing him at the tip of one of the structures, with no ropes holding him safe and no nets secured did the Vargas twin realize that he had great balance and no fear of heights. It would serve him well while using 3D Gear.  
The last was Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. He stressed his two last names often and was the kind of happy-go-lucky Lovino hated . . . and envied. His skill was obvious: he could talk people into doing anything. Out of all of the quartet's skills, Lovino considered his to be most troublesome. His careless attitude was sunny and bright and so charismatic Lovino wanted to throw up. Although Lovino understood the hate for Ludwig, the feeling for Antonio wasn't like hate, but more like extreme dislike and that unsettled him. He hated people, tolerated them, or loved them, as was the case with his brother and Grandfather. And seeing how well that went, it wasn't too often when he loved.  
But Lovino set that aside for now. Currently, the biggest threat was Kristy. There were small glances exchanged between them, a glare to a grin. Her face had a secret, bright smile and he wore a scowl filled with scorn and hate. Kiku noticed, to his chagrin.  
"Who is that girl, Lovino-san?" he asked, his button-like black eyes, fixed on her back when she turned away. Lovino clicked his tongue, a bit miffed Kiku had caught that. But then again, he didn't miss much.  
"She's an old enemy . . . and an even older friend." Lovino muttered, knowing it was vague but unable to describe it better. "She's someone whose loyalties are either sketchy or solid and as changing as the moon. God she pisses me off so much, but there's no one better to have at your back." Words spilled from his mouth, and he began ranting, the stress had built up over the weeks and Kiku's simple inquiry had triggered something. "She's the smartest person I've ever known and we were childhood friends once, and then she just up and disappeared! It was a good choice and right in time, but she made Feli cry for days! Years later we met her in a town where we were working and she acted all nice, but she had this look about her that wasn't the cheeky cleverness when we were younger but this awful look like she had killed someone. But now that I think about it, she probably had." Lovino hammered down a nail rather forcefully. "And she's just the tip of the iceberg! I have to keep Feli in line and avoid the Quartet-"  
"Who?" Kiku asked, wiping away sweat from his forehead.  
"The Quartet." Lovino repeated, having gotten in the habit of calling them that. "Ludwig, Gilbert, Francis and Antonio."  
"And why are you avoiding them?" Kiku asked and Lovino paused mid-swing of the hammer. He contemplated it before answering.  
"I've lived in dangerous places where true information was rare and gossip flowed like water." He said, "You had to learn to trust your gut. And my gut is saying that things would be easy for us is we avoided them." He stopped, looking like he wanted to say more, but was reluctant to. "Dammit!" he cursed and swung the hammer down. "How do you do that?" he demanded, glaring at Kiku.  
"Do what?" the black-haired boy asked politely.  
Lovino scowled again and waved his hands about, "You have this damn fucking aura that makes people want to talk to you, not like that Antonio bastard where he convinces you to do it, but you just- ugh you're like a therapist or something! Fuck!"  
"I'm not sure I understand your meaning Lovino-san."  
"Argh, just forget it." Lovino said darkly, "I'm getting more nails." With that he stood and turned, walking towards the general supplies area. The construction was almost finished and Sadiq had finally revealed what the structures were for.  
_"This is something new in the training program that I presented to the Head Commander. It's to help you get a sense of balance in the 3D Gear. You'll be elevated and will balance yourself. Practice here will make you better at managing 3D Gear out in the field." He had said._  
Lovino had to admit it was a brilliant stroke of genius.  
He requested the nails he needed without looking at the person manning the resupply station.  
"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" Lovino looked up to focus on the smiling, tanned face of Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. He had a confused look on his face, with a half-formed smile. His hand held out the bag of nails Lovino needed.  
"We have been here for nearly month," he said, maintaining a calm, disinterested façade. "I wouldn't be surprised if we ran into each other once or twice." The excuse flowed effortlessly from his mouth. Lovino was incredibly proud of his ability to lie on the spot.  
Even more so when the lie was believable. "Can I have the nails now?"  
"Oh, si." Antonio said, not looking completely convinced.  
"See ya then." Lovino said offhandedly, walking away quickly, before Antonio could call him back.

Antonio watched Lovino as he walked back to the top student, Kiku Honda.  
"What are you looking at, mon ami?" Francis said, coming for another set of screws. Antonio watched Lovino's hips for a moment, admiring the way they swung. Then he heard Francis laugh and knew he had stared a moment too long. And arm snaked it's way around his shoulders. "Have you found someone you like?" Francis asked, looking around the yard. "Who?" Antonio sighed and shrugged off the arm.  
"You know I can't," he said, "Not here. The others would become uncomfortable."  
"You mean the fact you like men-" Antonio clamped his hands over his friend's mouth.  
"I said not here Francis!"  
"It's not anything to be ashamed of, Antonio. You love who you love." Francis said, wiggling out of Antonio's hold. "Who cares what the others think?"  
The curly-haired boy fidgeted, "I- I just want a good relationship with everyone. Some people aren't as understanding as you, amigo. They wouldn't understand." Francis sighed.  
"Oui, I know. But one cannot help but hope, no?" Francis winked at his friend, then went back to his work station. Antonio leaned against the table and wondered if he'd ever find someone to love.

"What's wrong, Lovino-san?"  
"Nothing, I just- A shiver just went down my spine."  
"Ominous."  
"You're telling me . . ."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Elizaveta returned to her rooms exhausted and angry. Something had happened she really didn't want on her plate at the moment.  
Their two tops scientists had been murdered.  
And the research documents had been stolen.  
With a scream of rage, she threw a delicate porcelain vase across the room. She yelled again, screaming until her vocal chords ached and she was on her knees. Breathing heavily, she methodically made herself relax. Then she stood and went to her bathroom, stripping and stepping in the shower after it was freezing cold. She stayed in there until her lips were blue. She dried and slipped on underpants but neglected anything else.  
"Eliza, it's me." Roderich said through the door.  
"Come in." she called, a towel draped over her shoulders and being used to dry her hair. Roderich sighed when he saw her. She gave him a look. "What? It's not like you haven't seen me naked before."  
"I know." He said, coming to help dry her long caramel colored hair. "But you could take a bit more care."  
"Around you? In my own bedroom?"  
"Just in general." He said, rubbing her hair as if he intended to use friction to set it on fire.  
"Times are getting dangerous, aren't they?" Elizaveta asked, "Hey, Roderich, comfort me." Her friend and part-time lover paused, then threw aside the towel he was holding and scooped Elizaveta up and swept her off to bed.

Lili lay in her bed the day they finished building the Cradles, as they came to be known. Some of the students had gotten to try balancing, Lili included. She found that maintaining an upright position was easy, swinging back and forth was mind-numbingly so. Throwing back her weight and hanging upside down was simple and righting herself was child's play. She started to think that maybe she had gotten the same skills her brother had. That she could end up keeping up with him. He wouldn't have to be ashamed of her anymore; she could stand by his side as an equal. Turning over in the sheets, she settled herself and almost fell asleep.  
Almost.  
Instead, a subtle sound woke her. She sat up, looking around and saw none other than Kristy Pisan fully dressed and pulling on her boots.  
"What are you doing?" Lili whispered.  
Kristy gave her a look, "I want to try the Cradles. I missed my chance to, so I'm making it up now." She stood, donning her jacket and leaving quietly through the door. After a moment of hesitation, Lili was flying out the door as well, her boots sloppily put on and herself still in a nightgown. Catching the larger girl's arm, Lili threw all her weight back to stop her.  
"You can't!" Lili hissed, "They're still unstable, and we need a teacher to help raise us!" Kristy snorted, dragging Lili with her even though the smaller girl dug in her heels.  
"Raise it for me then." Kristy said, "You're strong enough."  
Lili gaped, letting herself be dragged for a bit. "You- you're kidding." She finally stuttered out.  
"Not at all." Kristy said, "You've been practicing extra, where people can't see you, right? Push-ups, sit ups and the like?" Lili blushed and released Kristy's arm like it was a hot brand.  
"How did you know?" she demanded, but all Kristy did was smile and wink. They had reached the Cradles by then and Kristy rushed to put snap the clips to her belt.  
"Raise it." She said, so calmly and simply and Lili did what she asked before realizing it. By then, Kristy looked like she was standing in the air, perfectly relaxed. There was a grace about her Lili didn't feel comfortable with. Almost like she was already used to doing such things. But that was impossible. There was no way Kristy could have been in 3D Gear before.  
"How are you so good?" Lili said softly, not intending for Kristy to hear. But, as life was, the girl did hear. With a twitch of her body, she was hanging upside down, facing Lili and smiling. It wasn't a cold smile either, or a sarcastic one, but a genuine, child-like smile.  
"My father made me a swing and straps to hold me in. It hung from a tree in our backyard. I used it to pretend I was part of the Survey Corps, rather than as a swing." She hooked her foot on one of the chords and flipped herself upright. "This brings back memories, actually." They stayed silent for a moment, then: "Hey, lower me down, will ya?"

Things are breakfast were silent and tense, more so than usual. They had all run their required laps and now sat to eat, knowing that in a few hours; they would begin the _real_ training. Things had been revealed quite traumatically to the recruits. Those who thought they were a top physical shape had a rude awakening when they realized the difference in the muscles of themselves and the teachers. Each and every one of the teachers had minimal fat. A bit on the stomach, a bit on the legs, just a smidge underneath the arms . . . but other than that, all toned muscle.  
So for the past six months they went through preliminary training.  
The strong were groomed, and the weak were weeded out.  
It was no longer sunny or bright, as it had been during the recruiting season in the summer. It was at the height of winter, cold winds and rain slashed at the recruits during training and more than one had fallen sick. And yet they kept pushing. Lovino chuckled over the meal, though. Both his brother and Kiku looked at him strangely.  
"Well, I just never thought anyone was as stupidly stubborn as I was." He gestured around with his spoon, "Looks like I was proved wrong huh?"  
That day was merely overcast and they had a mini-test. They had become popular among teachers. They'd come up to recruits as ask them to demonstrate what they learned, whether it was in physical or book-learning. Answering wrong had a punishment of thirty pushups and not knowing the answer had a punishment of twenty. If you didn't know, you could learn, but making a mistake out in the field could kill you and your squad. That's the idea behind the punishments. Today's mini-test was a recruit-wide one. It could be taken anytime during the day, as long as it was taken.  
It was a strength test.  
Testosterone in the facility was high that day. It was also the day Feliciano realized that his childhood friend Kristy was there with them. The test consisted of a five meter tall pole, with a bell at the top and heavy ball in a metal track; the metal ball would be propelled by a balancing scale-like device and shoot the ball into the air. The idea was to make the ball make the bell ring. So far, only Kristy (who took it first) had managed to make the bell ring. Her name was written on a chalkboard. Soon though, students came who could make the bell ring. Ludwig for one, and the large boy Ivan who was Natalya's brother. Natalya herself and (to Lovino's surprise) Kiku had hit the bell as well. Lovino had lost track by then, but the last one to take it caught his attention real quick.  
It was the cheerful boy from Wall Sina, Alfred F. Jones.  
Apparently, he had been slipping out of doing the test until everyone else had done it. At first, Lovino thought he was just being a coward. Then the boy came to the post, rolling up his sleeves and had a grin that said he had a secret and what a juicy one it was. He took the hammer, waved to the snickering crowd and lifted the hammer and swung down.  
The bell was ripped from the nails holding it to the post.  
It was completely silent when the metal bell clanged as it hit the dusty ground. It was completely silent as Alfred went through the crowd who split for him easily. With a careless grin, he threw his arm around the other Wall Sina boy, Arthur, and they walked off as if nothing unusual had happened. Arthur shrugging off Alfred's shoulder and saying he was too clingy and Alfred complaining about being tired.  
Lovino changed his mental list about.  
Instead of Antonio, the boy Alfred was definitely the scariest.


	7. THREE YEARS LATER

THREE YEARS LATER

They stood at attention in the baking sun. After being given uniforms (which they put on with ease), they were marched outside and slid into rows they knew by heart and stood in a relaxed position, hands behind their backs and feet set shoulder-width apart. They waited thirty minutes outside when a man finally came out to look them over. But that was fine; he'd been longer in coming before and thirty minutes was a rarity and a blessing the recruits hadn't had since the first day. He had short and shaggy black-brown hair with a tiny beard that was more like a gathering of hairs on his chin. He wore the uniform well, the emblem that of crossed swords. He wore a dark green shirt and brown pants instead of the standard white combination. In addition to that, he wore a white scarf, jumbled about his shoulders and neck. He walked around their exact lines, and none of the recruits dared to move; they knew instinctually who he was. He was infamous due to his new training ideas and cutting edge improvements to the 3D Maneuver Gear.  
He was Sadiq Annan, their mentor for the past three years.  
His teachings would save their lives in the future and everyone knew it. Currently, he stood, looking over the little adults he had raised, their fists over their hearts in a perfect salute. Although he knew he would never see any of them again, he felt a small swell of fatherly pride. For the first time the recruits had ever seen, Sadiq saluted them back.  
He said six words.  
"Go and fight. Go and win."  
Those were the words the new soldiers of humanity would carry with them forever.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: This chapter is for zoewinter1! She helped me with a bit of it and has been supporting me since the beginning. It's not a lot, but thank you so much!**

* * *

Chapter 7:

Lovino Vargas sighed, saddling his horse with a heavy heart. What the pompous jerk Arthur said so long ago about being in the top ten was true: only they could join the military police. And that put a major crimp in Lovino's plans. As much as he tried to remedy it, however, it was inevitable that he and his brother would not make it. Life didn't seem to work out for him that way. Despite that, Lovino's mind flashed back to what had happened that day.

_He wasn't too surprised to see Kiku up there, but number one? He should have known that quiet little boy was better than he looked. Natalya was second and looked rather slighted at the fact, but her cold face kept its mask, cracking only a little bit. Yao Wang was third, an older boy who was also Kiku's cousin. In fact, Kiku had a lot of family members in the trainee recruits, but he refused to point out whom. Fourth was Kristy, and she looked damnably proud of the fact. Fifth was Ludwig, his build as large and obnoxious as always. And yet Lovino had seen him in 3D Gear and a man that large had to right to be that nimble in the air. The freakishly strong Alfred was sixth, and Lovino was a tad surprised; he didn't pin the boy to be a brainy type. The mysterious Ivan was seventh, a small (threatening) smile on his face and his violet eyes glittering in the torchlight. The prick Arthur was eighth and though Lovino wanted to bash the blonde's small frame, Lovino knew his own strength and they were about the same size. The flirty and graceful Francis was ninth and silly, dreamy Antonio tenth. Lovino wondered how they managed to get their class grades up so high; they seemed less of a studious type than Alfred.  
~_  
Lovino accepted saddlebags from a fellow trainee, this one wishing him luck and Lovino returning the pleasantry before scowling at his thoughts again.  
That night was the reason he was so irritated today.

_It was the night where they would choose which section to join: Military Police, Garrison, or Survey Corps. Lovino was sure he had already pounded the choice into Feli's head: the Garrison. Since they couldn't get to the Military Police, it was the second best option. So when the Survey Corps commander came to speak first, he didn't mind it much. The woman came on the stage, her ashy-brown locks of hair loose and thick and hung to her waist. Her eyes were a sharp, piercing green and her figure . . . Lovino controlled his urge to whistle at her. He had done that once, while still in the trainee camps, and the girls had not liked it. In short, most every boy had a healthy respect for their female counterparts. They could be damn scary and disturbingly creative when it came to taking revenge.  
"I am Commander Elizaveta Héderváry of the Survey Corps." She announced, her eyes flashing over the recruits and her voice echoing as much as Sadiq's had. "I won't give you pretty stories of this work. There is no glory and there are no romantic deaths. What we do out there is not something to be taken lightly. I will not lie to you: an estimated half of you will die within the first excursion. Another half during your second one. By the end of the year, only a fraction of you may have survived." Her eyes lowered for a moment, and then they flashed up again. "I do not have the luxury of asking for the best or the brightest, but I do not have the time or resources to take the weak or cowardly." Her eyes were fiery green pools, burning with something akin to passion, but fiercer.  
It was the will to survive.  
"But life is nothing but give and take. In exchange for the risk you take, if you survive, you will be a soldier, a superior soldier, with all the skills necessary to survive again and again." She looked out into the crowd and Lovino felt her gaze on him. Only for a moment, then the pressure was gone. "Will you fight on humanity's front lines? Can you look in the face of death and cut the bastard's neck off?" Her voice softened, "Can you die if you were ordered to?"  
Green eyes like fire burned through them again. "If you want to join, stay. The rest of you _trainees_ are dismissed." She said, almost seeming to slander the way she said trainees. Lovino recognized the insult when he heard it and knew he wouldn't take the bait, but he wondered how many would and fall into the clutches of the Commander of the Survey Corps._

She was passionate, and her speech moving, that was for sure. Lovino felt something tug at his heartstrings a bit, but the feeling had passed. Now the thought of her speech pissed him off to no end. It was her words that caused all these problems. Lovino lead his horse from the stables, still scowling.

_Lovino had turned to leave immediately, going with the flow of the other recruits. Those not moving, he saw, had a slightly limp look about them. He knew the look, one of day dreaming. Those fools had completely disregarded what the Commander had said about no glory and twisted it about. With cool calculation, he guessed they would be the first to go. Lovino knew better. The Titans were scary motherfuckers. He had become unfortunately familiar with that concept at a young age. These poor sops hadn't, and they had no idea what they would be going up against. Lovino smirked, and moved forward, only to realize his brother wasn't beside him. He looked back, seeing the unfamiliar look of determination on his brother's face. Amber eyes gleamed in the fire light, passion like smoldered embers leaping up into flame again.  
Lovino did not like that look.  
Pushing back against the crowd, he grabbed Feli's arm, shaking and demanding what the boy thought he was doing.  
"This is what Grandpa did!" Feli said, "It's what I will do! Don't you see Lovino? This is what our family does. We were always on the frontline of fighting the Titans. I will not disgrace our ancestors by turning my back now!" He was more vehement than usual.  
"This is not what Grandpa wanted for us!" Lovino hissed back, "In fact, he didn't even want us in the Garrison or the Military Police! He wanted normal lives for us Feliciano, not this."  
"What's normal anymore fratello? We live inside a giant grey stone cage! There is no normal here! You've heard the stories Grandpa told us. We were great! We used to be free!"  
"Feli-" Lovino started angrily, fully intending to drag his little brother out screaming and kicking, but Feli shook off the hand holding his shoulder.  
"I'm staying." He said, "You can go if you want, but I'm not moving." Feli turned back and Lovino stood there, stunned. He grit his teeth, but they both knew what would happen.  
Lovino would not leave Feli alone.  
And Feli would not leave the Survey Corps.  
So when Elizaveta called for a salute, there were two Vargas boys with fists over their hearts_.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Elizaveta dismounted with a grateful sigh. With the combination of hard riding for six days and to coming back home, all she wanted was to fall into her bed and sleep. But, she couldn't. She had new recruits to brief and Roderich always seemed to rub the wrong way with them. She looked around at her castle. It was several miles outside a bigger town, completely private to the Survey Corps with miles of different trails to run their horses on and different terrain for the humans to practice their 3D Gear in. It was great and exactly how Elizaveta wanted things. _And . . ._ she turned around, a grin stretching across her face. _There were seven of the top ten students!_ This would be a tremendous addition to the troops. She reviewed their names in her mind. Every other of the top ten had joined the Survey Corps, except for the second, third, and seventh. Elizaveta was a bit disappointed; the second, Natalya Alfroskaya, would wash away the rest of the doubt that a woman couldn't handle the Survey Corps. Both Yao Wang and Ivan Braginski were also a shame to lose, although the rest of the recruits could more than make up for them if they tried.  
Oh, and she would make them try.  
This was too good a chance to pass up. Elizaveta swore to train them to the best soldiers she could under her ability. As she called them over to the clean, weed-free courtyard, she felt a tremor of bubbling anticipation rush through her, flooding her body with a strange, jittery excitement.  
These recruits would survive, she knew it.  
But the question was what exactly they would survive through.

Lovino's voice was one among many when they finally dismounted. Their horses were taken from them, with promises and reassurances of food and rest, though Lovino wasn't sure if the Corps members were talking to the horses or the new recruits. Then their new Commander dismounted, walking smoothly away, not having the problems the newer riders were having. Lovino was relieved that he had ridden before and wasn't walking like there was a hill stuck between his legs. That'd be awkward. They were called to the main courtyard and there they milled about in a small group, trying to sort out who everyone was. A sharp whistle sounded and everyone looked toward where Elizaveta was standing on an impromptu platform. She cleared her throat and started speaking. "You will be divided up. In fours, then in twos. Today and tomorrow you get to rest and explore, but the day after, we start training." The Commander said, "I know I know," she said, as groans rose up in a chorus, "But you'll need a completely different skill set here. Being able to use the 3D Gear to evade a Titan is quite the important skill."  
"But we already know how to do that!" a disembodied voice called out. Elizaveta's green-fire eyes flickered to a spot in the crowd. Lovino thought she looked a bit amused.  
"But not how you're supposed to." She said, "You know the standard maneuvers, but those are out the window if you're dealing with an aberrant. Roderich!" she shouted and a man came up the stage beside her, wearing his uniform to the nines with a ruffled collar for a Lance Corporal. Also per tradition, Elizaveta had a bolo tie to fix her collar. "Roderich will take your names and give you the name of the one you're to pair up with. He'll also give you a number for you rooms that you'll share with two other people, also a pair. Now. REPORT!" Elizaveta left and Roderich began to rattle off names, pairing people up and sending them off to seek their room. Lovino waited and listened carefully for his name.  
"Feliciano Vargas!" Roderich shouted out and as his brother moved, Lovino walked forward with him.  
"Ludwig Beilschmidt!"  
Both Vargas brothers froze in their steps.  
That couldn't be Feli's partner could it? That was impossible; the brothers hadn't been separated for more than a day in their entire lives. They had each other's back (or Lovino covered Feli's) for as long as they could remember. Being separated was unthinkable. And yet . . .  
The blond giant obviously recognized the two from that long ago day in the road. Lovino wondered how anyone could forget. As he came closer, Lovino opened his mouth to rip him a new one when his name was called. Followed right after by the name Antonio Fernandez Carrideo.  
"I just have all the God dammed luck today don't I?" he said bitterly, shoving past Ludwig with muttered curses and death glares. Lovino reached Roderich first with Antonio sliding beside him with a grin to rival the sun.  
"Room 27." Roderich said, without looking at them. "And drop that stubborn look, Vargas. Carriedo is going to become closer than your own flesh and blood family by the end of the training period. You better learn to trust him or you're Titan feed." Lovino's brows twitched, but he bit the inside of his cheek and stormed away before he could begin yelling at a superior officer.  
He should at least wait until the second day to do that.  
As soon as they got within the castle foyer, Lovino grabbed Antonio's hand and began to drag him away from the more populated areas. Eyes scanning, Lovino spotted a branch off and shoved his new partner down the hall, until they were concealed in the shadows.  
There were things to discuss.

It was him! The boy Antonio had fallen in lov- or, had admired.  
And pushing him into an isolated place with no passerby? Antonio could only imagine where this was going. The look on this boy Lovino's face however, let Antonio know his fantasies were just that . . . fantasies. Lovino shoved Antonio hard into a wall and leaned in close, jabbing a finger at his chest.  
"Listen close, you hear?" he growled menacingly, though Antonio thought it was adorable. "I'll work with you, I'll be your partner-" Antonio's pulse leapt up and the Spanish boy fought to keep a blush down, "-but don't think for a second we can become familiar with each other. No personal questions, no heart to hearts, just business got it? And keep away from my brother and I or I'll shove one of those shiny new blades up your ass. _Capiche_?"  
"Ka-what?" Antonio asked dazedly, trying to shake the image of a Pomeranian from his head. Lovino sighed, pulling back and looking thoroughly exasperated with the idiocy of the world.  
"Leave me alone unless there's Titan's to be killed, understand?"  
"I-" Lovino's glare dictated only one answer, "I understand."  
_Though I don't have to do what you say_.

The Jäger flipped through the documents, eyes fixed on them with a single minded concentration. Then the papers were thrown aside, legs swung up onto the desk and a sigh heaved with a dramatic flair.  
"I already know this." The Jäger said to the emptiness of the room. "Who do they think I am, after all this time? Not that they've been alive for long. Disgusting creatures, all of them. Lower than the worms and the dirt they live in . . ." Eyes gleamed in the darkness and white teeth flashed as The Jäger grimaced. If things were to develop the way that was planned, more meddling was needed.  
And The Jäger hated meddling.  
But . . . a crazed smile broke across a pale moon face, excitement and anticipation leaking into the air around the slight figure.  
"This is just too much fun."  
Legs swung down and up went the figure, standing and striding over to the door.  
"Now which trainee should die first?"

* * *

**A/N: This took way longer than I wanted, but it's finally up. It's going much slower than planned, but all in good time, my dear friends. **  
**So . . . who's going to be first to die, hmm? Find you next chapter my dears.**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Her brother found her immediately.  
"Lili!" he hissed, his hand grabbing her arm like a vice. "What are you doing here?" She flexed her now muscled arm and yanked it out of his grasp. She was walking to her room, which she now shared with Kristy Pisan. The girl was wild and unpredictable, but not unkind, as Lili found out. She was just very forward and aggressive . . . and an inability to lie, even if the truth would hurt.  
"I can be here if I want!" Lili said in retaliation. "You can't stop me!"  
"Oh yes I can." Vash said, "I could rate you unfit for duty and get you out of here and back home."  
"Ratings come once every trimester or after the excursions. You have no right." Lili said, having memorized everything she could get her hands on about the rules of the Survey Corps. She had predicted her brother would try to kick her out, and no way was she going. Not again. Not after what happened last time.  
"Lili, it's dangerous! You could get hurt!"  
"So could you!"  
"But Lili, I'm-" Vash stopped a second before Lili felt arms slid around her neck, the familiar weight of her partner settling on her shoulders. Kristy had started resting on Lili like this ever since the night they snuck out to use the Cradles. Lili liked to think that they had become as close as sisters, though Kristy would never admit it. The boisterous girl was embarrassment-prone, something she covered up with false confidence. It was secrets like these, shared in the depth of the night, that created an unbreakable bond between Lili and Kristy.  
"Yo." Kristy said, in a lazy tone, drawling out the word. "You seem to be bothering my partner. Mind explaining?" Lili saw Vash react to such a tone and she could only imagine the look on Kristy's face when she realized this small weakness of her brother. Poking, prodding . . . Kristy was good at pushing buttons.  
"Your partner," Vash said stiffly, "Is my sister. I am concerned about her safety and-" Kristy slid off of Lili's shoulders.  
"That's enough." She said, making Vash pause midsentence, "She knows it's dangerous, otherwise she wouldn't have joined. Besides, she's passed the qualifications, what's the problem?" With that, Kristy slung an arm across Lili's shoulders and began to drag her away. "So Lili, have you seen our room? We share with two other girls, but damn it's small-"  
"Wait!" Vash had recovered. Kristy sighed and Lili looked up to see her roll her topaz eyes. Then she turned, looking at Vash over her shoulder and positioned so Lili couldn't see her face.  
But she could hear her voice.  
It reminded her of the time when they first met, and Lili felt a trickle of the old fear coming back when Kristy started talking.  
"She's passed the qualifications, and has been accepted into the Survey Corps. She's now their property. If you want her back home, talk with the Commander to release her from duty, but she won't and want to know why? Because you don't have enough men. What, three, four hundred at the least? There's no way the Commander will release her. You could drive her insane, but I don't think you want to do that, now do you?"  
Silence from Vash.  
"Then we'll be on our way."  
Kristy began to walk, and Lili quickly matched her paces. Lili glanced up, seeing Kristy's face frowning.  
She couldn't bring herself to look at Kristy's eyes.

~*~*~  
A MONTH PASSED  
~*~*~

A month of training and Elizaveta decided that a small excursion could be risked. The recruits could take a look at Titans closer and they could practice the new flanking order she had devised. The announcement was posted in the mess hall, giving every member of the Survey Corps a chance to look at it before breakfast.  
"Cazzo!" Lovino cursed when he saw it. "Not even a month of training and an excursion! We'll all die."  
Antonio chuckled awkwardly, "Now that wasn't quite nice to say Lovino-" A glare from the Italian boy and Antonio quickly amended it. "I mean, Vargas." As they sat down with their trays, Antonio heaved a sigh internally. Even after a month together, Lovino still called him 'bastard' and wouldn't tolerate being called 'Lovino'. Gilbert and Francis were already seated, partners as they were. Ludwig and Feli (he didn't mind a nickname) were just sitting down when Antonio and Lovino approached.  
"Good morning Lovino." Francis said, "Did you have a good night's rest?" His eyes always flickered to Antonio for a moment, but the Spaniard knew he was the only one who noticed.  
"Don't call me by my first name you pompous bastard." Lovino growled. "And stop being so fucking creeping so early in the damn morning." They had learned early on that Lovino cursed a lot, something they all grew quickly accustomed to.  
"Fratello!" Feli called, and rattled off a sentence in their language called Italian. They learned it special from their grandfather, and believed no one understood what they said, but Antonio knew Spanish and the languages were close enough that he could tell what they were saying every once in a while.  
"_It's the three and a half year anniversary_." Feli said. "_We haven't gone home in three years_."  
"_It's fine_." Lovino said, sitting down beside his brother. "_The villagers promised to take care of it_."  
"_But nonno misses us don't you think?_"  
Lovino sighed, his hazel eyes taking on a melancholy hue that Antonio didn't see too often. He loved the way the boy's face relaxed, and gentled; it was the closest he got to peaceful while awake. "_I don't know Feli, just leave it be_." Francis was chatting to Gilbert and a reluctant Ludwig, speaking of this girl he had wooed the other day.  
"Ah her hair was the color of chestnuts and her eyes the most interesting shade of gold." He chuckled, "She fell quite willingly into my-" An arm slipped around his neck, his Adam's apple in the crook of an elbow, enough to hurt but not to kill.  
"Finish that sentence." A girl's voice said, and Antonio saw both Lovino and Feli jump at the sound. "I dare you to finish that sentence you froggy little-"  
"KRISTY!" Feli shouted, knocking back the bench and spilling Ludwig and Antonio from it. The curly-haired boy was Lovino on his feet too, his expression the opposite of Feli's bright smile.  
"Feliciano!" the voice said in response and Antonio had enough time to duck when a girl came soaring over the table and landing to hug Feli. "It's been a while!"  
"Si, it has! Not since the strength test!" he said and they began chatting, with Lovino seething with anger on the side. Antonio saw the girl called 'Kristy' glance at Lovino. A glance Antonio didn't like, loaded with secrets and mysterious intentions.  
Lovino didn't seem to like it either.  
He stepped forward, his mouth opening to yell and his hand reaching out to yank the two hugging people away when a large bell rang, signaling the end of breakfast.  
"See you later then, Feli!"Kristy said, departing faster than Lovino could react. Lovino stood there, visibly trying to calm himself down.  
"Lovino?" Antonio asked hesitantly, fingers just brushing his partner's arm.  
"It's Vargas." He growled and left the mess hall without another word.

~*~*~

It took two more weeks to get all the supplies needed. They would pass from Wall Maria's Easter District Nuraba to its Southern District known as Shiganshina. They would map out the surrounding land and mark where repairs outside the wall needed to be made. The course was chosen due to the lack of Titan sightings in the area. The day they set out, Arthur was stiffer than a plank of wood.  
"Oh, loosen up!" Alfred said, smiling cheerfully. "We're only scouting."  
"But something might happen!" Arthur protested, his grips on his reins tightening.  
Alfred laughed, patting his lover affectionately on the head. "Don't worry Arthur, nothing's going to happen!" He jabbed a thumb to his chest, "This hero is going to protect you!"  
Arthur chuckled at his antics, then paused. "Wait a minute, doesn't that make me a damsel in distress?"  
"Yup!"  
"No way! I refuse that role! I want a change!" By the end of the banter, they were laughing and smiling. Almost everyone was, not expecting much trouble on this trip.  
How wrong they all were.

* * *

It was the aftermath of the first run for the trainees. The 22nd Excursion beyond the wall. The Jäger kicked aside a corpse, wondering at how only sixteen of the thirty eight recruits were lost. Pausing, the Jäger pressed the toe of a shiny brown boot into the face of this particular trainee. So young . . . Then again, they all looked like mere children to eyes as old as time itself. Yes, the Jäger remembered what it was like before. The great cities, the marvelous food, the art, the innovations humans came up with! And now it was less than dust. The good thing though, the Jäger thought, was that the environment cleared up marvelously. Quickly too, in two hundred years rather than the eons that was predicted.  
"Underestimating Mother Nature as always." The Jäger muttered, makings a 'tsk'-ing sound.  
"Hey!" a soldier shouted, "You! Help clean up!"  
"Coming!" The Jäger called back, removing the shoe tip from the corpse's face. Without glancing back, the Jäger strode away from the corpse, not noticing a second one lying under it.  
Even in death, Vash Zwingli would protect his dear little sister.

* * *

**A/N: . . . So . . . two confirmed deaths . . . No explanation . . . I'm sure you know what the next chapter will be about . . .**

**Note: Nuraba is a made up district, they didn't have a name listed so I made one up.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Recommended song: Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey (the first 14 seconds, really)**

* * *

Chapter 10:

A hundred members of the Survey Corps set out from the Nuraba District. Elizaveta headed the column of the center force. The Corps were arranged in a specific manner on a path between the two sides of an abandoned town. The town had been built in a simple and even grid shape, curving the slightest of bits to match Wall Maria. Supply wagons were in the center of the column, down the main road and spaced in lines 30 yards from one another in a slight oval shape, with a circle of riders around them, also in a slight oval shape. The riders rode in groups of four, their roomates, and there were eleven squads that rode around the wagons, maybe 70 yards from the wagons. Then a second circle that also had eleven groups, another 60 yards from the first ring. The better soldiers were put on the outside to kill Titans before they got close. Elizaveta didn't quite like this formation, but her imagination could only stretch so far and this was the best formation she had. _I'll come up with a better one, I swear._ She promised herself, riding in the second ring at the head of the line.  
"Roderich! Vash!" she called, "Scout!" The two men pulled away and went opposite ways, running their horses down between the second and first ring to keep an eye on things and report back to her. As soon as they were gone, Elizaveta cast a glance back at Vash's partner, Bella. "What do you think?" she asked, trusting the woman's input. Bella's eyes narrowed and her mouth twitched into a frown.  
"I have a really bad feeling about this." she said.  
Elizaveta turned forward, her face screwing up into a grimace as Bella nudged her horse so the two women were riding by each other.  
"I thought it was just me. Cramps or something." Elizaveta admitted.  
"Let's turn back Commander." Bella said, "If our instincts say something is wrong, something is wrong. We should return to Nuraba." Elizaveta nodded once.  
"Bella." She said, "Go check on the supply wagons. I'd hate for one to bust a wheel. We'd have to turn back." A significant, side-long glance to the blond woman and Bella nodded, reining up her horse and turning to go bust a wagon's wheel. Elizaveta slowed her mount a bit.  
Some might say she was cowardly for abandoning this mission on a hunch, but Elizaveta knew.  
After being in the Survey Corps for so long, you learn to trust your gut more than anything else.  
It was life or death out here.  
Elizaveta intended to live.

"So what's your story?" Alfred asked Lovino, looking at the Italian curiously.  
"Keep your eyes ahead of you Alfred!" Arthur shouted, his back facing towards Lovino. "Watch the ground in front of your horse!" Arthur and Antonio rode in front, with Lovino and Alfred flanking them. They were in the first ring, closest to the wagons, and roomates, which meant they were in the same squad until they survived two years in the Survey Corps, at which time they would be funneled into different squads.  
But for now they were stuck with each other.  
"None of your damn business." Lovino scowled, twisting the reins in his hands.  
"Aww come on, don't be like that! We're roomates after all!"  
"No." Lovino said flatly, craning his neck to catch a glimpse of his brother and his partner. How he hated that potato-munching bastard.  
"If I tell, will you tell?"  
"Alfred! Don't you dare!" Arthur had turned back to his partner.  
"They're going to find out sometime Arthur, what's the problem?" What a carefree guy.  
Lovino sighed, facing front ward again. "No need." He said, "You guys are so into each other it's a wonder you're not fucking now." There was silence between the squad before Alfred started laughing and Arthur was blushing redder than the tomatoes that Lovino's grandpa used to grow.  
"You're red as a tomato, Arthur~!" Lovino heard Antonio tease and for a moment, he thought the silly boy had read his mind. He looked at his partner's profile as he teased Arthur. He did look to be blushing a bit, but his skin was so tan it was hard to tell. Dark green eyes flickered to meet Lovino's and the tan face turned back to the front, but not before Lovino caught sight of a bright red face. Lovino sighed. Now he'd have to assure Antonio that he would never look at him that way. As partners it could be hindering to any missions they went on.  
"Isn't that Bella Peeters?" Arthur asked suddenly, and Lovino's gaze slid over to where the bushy-browed boy was looking. Right by a broken down wagon, the third in command of the Survey Corps sat atop her horse talking to another rider. She dismounted to help load the supplies back on and the rider spurred his horse into movement, shouting for an immediate withdraw.  
They were heading back to Nuraba.  
"What the fuck?" Lovino asked, "We set out only hours ago! What's the big idea?" Nevertheless, they stopped their horses and went over to help the two manning the wagon reload.  
They had just dismounted when a shark crack echoed across the land. Up in the sky, a trail of black smoke rose in a column.  
"Black smoke . . ." Lovino muttered, "That's a signal for-" It clicked a second later, "Abberrant."

Feli was chattering about the mess hall's food when the plume of black most was sighted. Ludwig was listening mindlessly to his chatter. Lili was watching her surroundings carefully and was the one who called out first when she sighted the smoke. Kristy looked excited. Only a few seconds later did Vash appear, riding straight up to his sister.  
"You guys get closer to the wagons!" He shouted, "We're retreating now!" He turned away and rode off towards where the black smoke originated.  
"Brother!" Lili called, "Wait for me!" She wheeled her horse around and raced after him.  
"Lilli! Don't! Come back!" But the smaller girl was too far away for her partner's voice to reach her. Kristy ran a hand through her bangs. "Dammit!" She glared at the other two, her golden eyes sharp as a hawk's and unnervingly vibrant. "You have to get towards the wagons, back to Nuraba. I'm getting Lili and dragging her back." Then she kicked her mount forward.  
"Come on Feliciano, we have to-" But then Ludwig was speaking to dust. Feli had galloped off after the rest of their squad. With a rare curse, Ludwig followed.

The Abberrant was a ten meter class and was eating a blond member of the Survey Corps when Vash arrived. By the time he had taken in the situation, another blond was in the Abberrant's mouth. Vash's eyes narrowed. The Abberrant skipped right over several dark-haired members of the Corps, and snatched a blond one riding away. The Blond-Eater had attacked the middle of the line, where all the new recruits were and they were panicking, the blonds being snatched up. Vash feared to think of what would have happened to Lili if she wasn't in a group with two of the top ten. Already the darker haired members were trying to take down the Blond-Eater, only to be eaten by another ten meter Abberrant. It ignored all on the ground, eating only those he had caught in the air.  
It was literally the worst combination Vash could have faced.  
But he would face it.  
He drew his blades, his horse still galloping forward.  
As a soldier of humanity, he would face it.  
As a soldier he would kill both the bastards.  
Pulling the trigger to launch the bolts of his 3D Gear, he only barely registered the sound of another horse approaching before he shot off, aiming for the Snatcher.

Behind him, Lili equipped her own weapons, deciding to kill the Blond-Eater. If she couldn't do that much, how was she to match her brother?  
With the subtle clicking sound of the hand triggers, she flew off.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Kristy cursed, pushing her horse through the town. "Fuck this!" She deployed her blades and shot off her horse so fast that the beast didn't even notice she was gone. Kristy soared above the town, having shot herself into the air like a slingshot. She quickly spotted the Abberrants in a town square and having a grand old feast on the humans below them. As she fell, she pinned what type of Abberrant the two were. But before she went to them . . . Kristy spun around, shooting far left of the square and taking down a five meter Titan before it came any closer to the Survey Corps. Slingshot up again into the sky, Kristy fired her bolts at the peak of her arch, zooming across the town faster than before. She slid to a stop on one of the buildings that lined the square just in time to watch the scene play out.  
Both Lili and Vash spun around their respective Titans, Vash just dodging a swipe from the Snatcher. Lili shot her bolts down into the Blond-Eater's skin, spinning him around as he tried to track her blond head through the air. She released the bolts at a peak time, and Blond-Eater crashed into Snatcher. Still in mid-air, Lili was a target for Snatcher now as well. Both Vash and Kristy saw this, and both moved at the same time. Both shot off at the same time, their target the small blond girl floating in space.  
Kristy knew they wouldn't reach her in time.  
With a sudden feral scream, Kristy saw Vash gunned the machine, gas spilling out in puffy fumes of white. He scooped Lili into his arms, tucking her into his chest with his back to the Titans.  
Snatcher had his palm wide open and his arm above his head and not moving.  
Vash shot off his bolts straight into the ground and Kristy knew they would make it.  
Then Snatcher swung.  
He moved faster than predicted and slapped them to the ground.  
Time stopped.  
Across the square, Kristy heard the sickening crack of bones as their bodies were crushed on impact.  
They were dead before they could possibly process it.  
Kristy screamed. She screamed and screamed, deaf to her own voice rising and cracking through the octaves as the full horror of what happened settled itself in her mind and imprinted there as something she would never forget.  
"LILI!" she screamed, "LILI, LILI, LILI, LILI NO! NO, LILI NO!" Her voice was raw, broken, tears streaming down her face with no recognition. Just as quickly as the sadness came, the anger flushed it out and Kristy's blood began to boil.  
"YOU BASTARDS YOU BASTARDS YOU DAMN BASTARDS I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Kristy dropped her used blades and slid new ones from her sheath. Her next scream was not one of anguish.  
It was a battle cry.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Feli and Ludwig came seconds afterward, followed by the rest of the Survey Corps as they were turning back to Nuraba. They found Kristy, tears streaming down her face and wiping blood off of her blades with her Wings of Freedom cloak. She looked up at them with dull, blank eyes.  
"We have twenty dead just in this area." She said, gesturing to the square with her blade. "I don't know how many the Titan's ate before I got to them." She sheathed her blades and hooked her triggers on her belt. "Help me gather the bodies. We'll have to move fast or else more Titan's will come." She took one step forward and her knees buckled, sending her to the ground. Ludwig and Feli scrambled to dismount and both ran to her, finding her sobbing into the cobblestone ground.  
"It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!" Kristy sobbed.  
"Kristy," Feli said gently, "Where's Lili?" Kristy lifted her head to glare at him, tearing herself away from the boy and shoving him away from her.  
"WHERE IS SHE? SHE'S DEAD! SHE WAS THROWN TO THE GROUND BY A TITAN! VASH IS DEAD TOO BECAUSE HE TRIED TO PROTECT HER!"  
"Vash is dead?" the three trainees turned to see Commander Elizaveta dismounting behind them. She signaled to several soldiers, indicated to them to grab the bodies. There were at least two dozen men that trotted out to retrieve the bodies.  
"Yes." Kristy answered, struggling to her feet.  
"And who killed these Titan's then?" Elizaveta asked, even knowing the answer.  
Kristy grimaced, "I did." She said. The Commander looked over the topaz-eyed girl and merely nodded.  
"Help collect bodies." She said, then her voice rose, "We leave in five minutes! Move people move!" The soldiers rushed to obey, collecting bodies. "Kristy, find Bella. You're her new partner. You two, go find Arthur and Alfred's group. They're to take you one." They complied, and the four set off to their designated locations.  
~*~*~

Arthur watched, stunned, as bodies were loaded into carts. It was only five minutes, like the Commander had demanded and they were heading back to Nuraba already. Joining their quartet was another pair, who had lost their partners. Lovino recognized them both.  
"Feliciano?" the Italian asked, looking incredibly cute and innocent with his head tilted in confusion and the merest expression of concern. But the moment passed and Lovino was glaring at Feliciano's tall, blond partner with narrowed eyes and classic scowl in place. "Potato bastard." He hissed. "What the hell are you guys doing here anyways?" The two boys, riding with their shoulders hunched and heads down, looked up at Lovino's words. It became obvious that it was one of their group members that had died. Lovino's tough act dropped immediately when he saw his brother's tears. "_Dio, Feli . . ._" he said, muttering prayers in some foreign language.  
"Who?" Arthur heard himself ask. Feli sobbed and his partner, who Arthur now recognized as Ludwig, cringed, his eyes darkening. The younger Italian boy couldn't speak, he was crying so hard.  
"Lili Zwingli." Ludwig said and a sharp gasp was drawn in. Ludwig's eyes clenched shut, "And Vash Zwingli." Arthur winced too. Vash was a great solider, a kill count of over fifty in only seven years. His talent would surely be missed.  
"And the other girl?" Antonio asked, as they set out. "Kristy was it?"  
"She's been promoted." Ludwig said, "Kristy is now at the point."  
"I mean, she was the fourth place holder, but the point?" Alfred asked, shaking his head. "How did that happen? What happened back there? We were given orders to stay and watch the perimeter."  
Ludwig paused before answering, "She killed the two Titans there." He said, "Two Aberrants." Only silence could have answered that. Everyone's thoughts turned into themselves and Arthur himself was struck with wonder. A first excursion and she killed two Aberrants? That was unheard of. She must have been the first to do so. Arthur never thought that a separation of four spaces could fill up with so much talent. His emerald green eyes flicked over to the German boy as he scanned the horizon. Ludwig had taken the fifth, place after Kristy, and Arthur could help but wonder if Ludwig had unrevealed talents as well . . . And maybe not just him, but the rest of them . . .

As Bella introduced Kristy to the rest of their team, she started becoming worried about the young girl. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, probably younger, and had already seen this much . . . But as much as Bella was worried about the girl herself, she was more worried about the possibility of this girl acting out and possibly harming more soldiers. It hadn't been the first time and Bella knew it wouldn't be the last. But hopefully, the cheerful Tino could help her get along. Tino and Berwald were a comical pair: a gentle giant with the tiny man with the highest kill count in the Corps. And all the while it seemed as if the blond-haired, violet eyed Tino should be gentler than a lamb and that dark, brooding Berwald would be a lion. Bella never failed to be amused when a new recruit heard of the 100 kill count Tino had racked up, with Berwald only half as much. But Bella got a good laugh and no one insulted Tino so everything ends up fine after the mistake is remedied.  
"Hey Kristy!" Tino said childishly, taking her hands in his and holding them. He smiled sweetly, blinking those pretty purple eyes at her, lashes light as sunrays and just as long. "I'm Tino Väinämöinen." He said, introducing himself, "And this is my partner, Berwald Oxenstierna." The man grunted. Kristy nodded, looking more tired than intimidated. There was a pregnant pause before Bella realized that Kristy would be useless for a while. She had just witnessed two deaths after all, and killed her first two Titans. Bella sighed internally, helping her new partner onto a horse and soon they set out, riding back towards Nuraba. If there was quiet sobbing from the newest addition, the three had the sense not to mention or pay attention to it. Just as the Wall and gate came into sight, Kristy's sobs had faded to quiet, concentrated breathing. Bella glanced to the side at her new partner.  
Gold fire.  
That's what Kristy's eyes were. They were flames but her expression was so icy, Bella half expected a meltdown to occur. Instead, Kristy's head turned so that Bella met those eyes exactly. Bella jerked back, surprised at the contact. Without a change in expression, Kristy looked at Bella a little longer then slowly, so agonizingly slowly, did she turn her head back to face forward again.  
Bella clenched her fist, white knuckled, around her horse's reins.  
She knew those eyes, and she was desperately afraid for their owner.  
Kristy had the eyes of someone unforgiving, and Bella had no doubt she was swearing some dumb oath to kill off all the Titans she could find.  
And Bella knew personally how she would never succeed.

Elizaveta led the Survey Corps back to Nuraba, already dreading the return. Things would only get worse from this. Despite her calm exterior, Elizaveta was in a panic as the Nuraba gates rolled up, welcoming the failed Survey Corps back into the walls. She mentally calculated. Twenty plus people lost? Especially their recruits who were placed in the middle. This was horrible, this was horrible, and those sexist bastards in the city would blame it on her. They still refused to believe that women could fight as well as men, and constantly threw blame around and it normally landed on her. And she lost Vash, her protégé, the one she wanted to succeed her. Roderich was a good soldier, but he didn't have the charisma to lead. Vash wasn't ideal either, but he was the best from the group and could hold his own in chaos and against a few Titans.  
This was not the best thing to happen after the Archives report.  
The Archives were something that not many knew of, and in Elizaveta's thoughts, it was safe to ponder the problems that had started to arise. Brutal murders of the workers with no sign of who had done it. Stolen documents, deleted work, and an entire wing had burned down . . . and they all had the same signature, drawn in anything from blood to ash to ink.  
_Erlösung_  
The Archives had recognized it as an old language, from Before The Wall. According to their research, it meant 'redemption'. Elizaveta really didn't like the sound of that. Not only that, but the murders and vandalism were obviously an inside job. And there were only about a hundred people total who knew of the Archives. The heads of the three branches of the military and the Archive workers themselves. It left a very small group of people who could do this. And Elizaveta knew those people inside and out. They would never do something so horrible. Not when the Archives could save them from the Titans.  
So that left one terrifying option left.  
Someone outside had learned of the Archives.  
And now they were trying to destroy it.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Feli looked anxiously up at the upper stories of the Survey Corps headquarter as they unloaded the unused supplies from the horses and carts.  
"Oi, Feli, pay attention would ya?" Lovino called, throwing a double saddle bag over his shoulder.  
"Yeah . . ." Feli said, pulling his own weight to grab another back. "I'm just worried about Kristy." He admitted as Antonio and Ludwig fell in step with them, each with their own loads.  
"Why?" Lovino asked incredulously, "It wasn't the first time she's seen someone die." As per usual, Antonio saw a flash of anger in the boy's hazel eyes, shadowed by pain. They completed the rest of their chores, finally sitting down at a mess hall dinner.  
"So, what's the story with you two and the Kristy girl?" Gilbert asked as the ten sat down to eat. Everyone but the twins looked at the albino with an expression along the lines of similar disbelief that he'd crossed the line they'd all be avoiding. The twins looked at each other. A silent conversation passed between them and Lovino finally shrugged, going back to eating, while Feli pushed his plate away, ready to tell a story. Feli took a deep breath in, mentally prepping himself for the coming story.  
"When Lovino and I were young," he began, "we lived with our grandfather, in the town of Brus." Everyone's eyes widened. Brus was the last town ever habited outside Wall Maria. "We had a happy enough childhood I suppose, doing the things little boys do like playing in the dirt and such. There were few children in the village, and they were either teens or little babies. The closest one to our age was Kristy, so we decided to ignore the fact she was a girl and play games and become friends with her." His eyes took on a darker hue. "Then the village was attacked." The people at the table had all heard the story for themselves, but from the mouth of one of the survivors it was completely different. "They Titans came in a pack of ten. There was no way we could have fought them off. Nonno used to be in the Survey Corps, before he retired and he still had his gear. After locking us in the underground cellar, he strapped on the gear and killed two Titans before he realized that escape was the best option. He fetched us again, running from them with us over his shoulders." Feli's voice was thick was he continued. "We almost reached the edge of town when a Titan came from nowhere. Then Kristy arrived, on her horse and shouting at the Titan. Instead of going after us, he turned to her. Nonno dropped us and-"  
Feli stopped suddenly, his hands curled into white-knuckled fists and tears welling in his eyes. He had tilted his head up, to keep the tears from spilling over when Lovino picked up the story.  
"In the end," the deeper voice growled, "He used his gear to save her, dying in the process. We had been trained enough at six years old to at least climb on the horse and get out. Even though it was Kristy doing most of the work, getting us on the horse and holding on tight enough so we wouldn't fall." He swirled a spoon around his now cold stew. "In the end, the Survey Corps picked us and the rest of the survivors up and brought us back to Wall Maria. One thing led to another and now we're here." The ending shocked the other eight spectators at its sudden and anticlimactic conclusion. The silence was enough to strangle someone. Then Lovino stood, with the muttered intention to put his dishes back and then go to bed. A few seconds later, Antonio stood and followed suit.

Their room was dark and quiet. Alfred and Arthur had no doubt gone somewhere private to do . . . other things. Antonio pushed open the door and found Lovino standing still and just staring out the window. He was had a hand on the chair to one of the desks, clueing Antonio that he meant to sit down, but had forgotten. With careful steps, just loud enough for Lovino to hear, he made his way over to his partner.  
"Lovino?" he asked quietly, noting the way the boy's hand tightened on the chair. Antonio moved so that he could see Lovino's face. He was surprised to find two streaks of tears running their length down the boy's smooth cheeks. "Oh, Lovino." Antonio sighed, more emotions tingeing his voice then he wanted revealed. Love, heartache, compassion, and the pain you share with a loved one eased out of his mouth with that one breath. Lovino didn't notice and Antonio didn't know whether he was happy about that or not. Gently, Antonio laid a palm against Lovino's cheek, wiping away a tear with his thumb. That got a response. Slowly focusing, Lovino looked at Antonio; a sudden blink and Lovino snapped back into his normal personality, slapping Antonio's hand away and turning before wiping his own tears away.  
"Lovi-"  
"I was just about to get into bed." Lovino said loudly, cutting off Antonio, "But I think I'll go take a bath first. All I can smell is horse and blood." Then Lovino left the room, leaving Antonio in the moonlit darkness of their room. Running down the halls of the headquarters, Lovino ignored the warmth that lingered on his cheeks, particularly blazing where Antonio had touched him.

Kristy felt so numb that getting off her horse was a struggle. She didn't understand why this was so hard. All Lili did was die. Death was natural here. Kristy was used to death. She had seen death before and had even avenged people before, so why was this so hard to deal with? It couldn't possibly be because it was a Titan who killed. No, Kristy had her entire village annihilated by a Titan and she watched as the monster ate her family and her friends. She was so close to them too. All she did was go out for a ride and when she came back, the town was soaked in blood and instead of the sound of horses and the children playing there were only screams and crying. She could only watch as the town, just outside the gates, was devoured. Only towards the end did the Survey Corps reach the town and barely a dozen people survived the attack. Brought within the walls again, it was finally ruled that towns couldn't last outside the walls. The great castle that served at the Survey Corps headquarter wasn't as welcome a sight as she thought it might have been. In a daze, she skipped helping the rest of the Survey Corps members unpack the supplies and opted to skip dinner as well. She felt numb to her very core. Kristy's feet just carrying her forward, no definite direction in mind. Just going. She had just opened the door to her room and was unexpectedly hit by the natural scent of Lili lingering in the room. Kristy bit her lip, but tears spilled from her face regardless. Next she knew, her face was buried in the blankets of Lili's bed as she began to cry again. She didn't know how much time had passed when she realized she was out of tears and not alone. Spinning around quickly, her eyes focused on a surprising face.  
"You're-" she began.  
"Oh, no need for that." The Jäger said, fiddling with a wooden toy from the desk that had belonged to Lili. "All I want to do is offer my condolences . . . and a business proposition, if you'll take it." The Jäger smiled almost innocently, a cute tilt to his head. Kristy looked at him suspiciously.  
"What is it?" she finally asked, biting the bait. The Jager's smile turned creepy as it stretched wider.  
"That's a girl. Come, let's go to a better setting for this discussion." He said, dropping the toy where he found it and leaving with Kristy right behind him.  
On the desk, the figure of a puppet had cracked it's laughing mask.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Two month passed, as teams were rearranged to meet the sudden lack of men. In a group of six, Gilbert, Francis, Kristy, Bella, Kiku and his partner Kaoru were placed together. Feli, Ludwig, Lovino, Antonio, and Berwald and Tino were in another group. For the two months, they were trained furiously, learning special evasion techniques and practicing taking off from horseback and how to land on horseback as well as more intense practicing on how to kill a Titan. Then two groups were chosen to go out again, Kristy's among them, but not the Vargas brothers. Lovino watched with everyone else as they saw off the dozen rode out of the gates. Kristy looked brighter than usual, seemingly over Lili's death and enjoying the company of her new team. She joked with Gilbert, flirted with Francis, gossiped with Bella and talked philosophy and politics with Kiku and Kaoru. She seemed fine. Everyone did. They were all top soldiers, experienced, and would survive of course.  
So why did Lovino have this horrible feeling?

"Kristy, are you okay?" the girl in question blinked slowly, her bright golden eyes fixing on Kiku who was staring at her in concern.  
"Oh," she said, "Yes, I'm fine." She said automatically. It had been three days since they had left the walls and, surprisingly, there were no Titans sighted. Their mission was to bait one back to the Wall so they could capture one and start experiments again. Kristy's eyes flickered to their squad leader: right hand man of the Commander, Roderich Edelstien. He caught her eye and stared her down. Kristy looked away first. With a frown, Kiku looked between them, trying to find a connection. Roderich was the one who was supposed to debrief Kristy, Kiku remembered. The one who blew her off instead, telling her he was too busy and how she needed to be stronger on her own. Kiku didn't say anything more though, just handed Kristy her water canteen and moved away to think. Returning to his cousin Kaoru's side, they both exchanged glances that spoke volumes. Something wasn't right between the two groups. Something felt off and neither boy could figure out quite what it was.  
"Move out." Roderich ordered and everyone remounted their horses, heading deeper into the forest on the sides of the Walls.

The gun felt heavy in the soldier's hands. Not because of guilt or anything like that, no, of course not, it was because the gun was muffled and swaddled with cloth, so as to not alert the passing entourage of their existence. The soldier watched one of his comrades further up the road, for the hand signal.  
There it was.  
With precise care, the soldier unwound the gun, letting the cloth settle on the brush beside him as he checked the gun's chamber and bullets. It was quite disgusting actually, being forced to use a gun; such a crude instrument of wanton and rampant destruction. Their group had actually acquired the weapons through the very organization they were hoping to destroy.  
The Military Police sold off their firearms for so little.  
But it wasn't Military Police that the soldiers were after today. No, it was a majority of the Survey Corps best members. They were the targets with a few exceptions. Their leader was in the group, in disguise.  
And it'd be just shameful for the Erlösung to hit their leader.  
The next hand signal flashed down the line and the soldier raised the gun to his shoulder. He decided to hit the person with the darkest hair first.  
The first shot was fired mere seconds later.

The assault came suddenly and out of nowhere. There was a cry as Roderich's temporary partner went down and another as two others of his group were taken out. Kristy wheeled her horse around, trying to figure out where the bullets came from.  
"Kristy!" The girl was tackled off of her horse and onto the ground. Gilbert's warm body pressed her to the ground. "Switch to your 3D Gear and get out!" he shouted in her ear, drowning out the sound of screams both human and animal. Gilbert rolled off her and moved in the fast way he had, shooting off into the trees. She precisely heard the whirring noise of another gear shooting and a person shot out from within the trees, slashing Gilbert's back as he retreated. Kristy watched with horror as his limp body swung heavily into a tree trunk, his head splitting open at impact. She rolled to her feet, stepping on the corpse of Kaoru and breaking the boy's wrist. Shocked, she slipped back down, her head hitting the ground hard enough to stun her. She heard bolts fired and the scream of the gear proper zooming off then splatters after that, like throwing eggs against a wall. Darkness clawed at her sight, pulling more and more into its darkened realm as Kristy struggled against it. After what seemed like an eternity, Kristy pushed herself up just as the attackers emerged from the brush. She gasped in heavy breaths, quickly taking in the scene. Francis was shot several times, blood coating his blond hair. Bella was trampled by a horse into a near unrecognizable mess. There were several bodies hanging from the trees, their bolts having been shot and the wielders then killed. Kiku was being dragged by one of the gun men, the Asian boy's right arm cut from his socket and gushing blood.  
"Kiku." Kristy whispered, her voice hoarse. He looked up at her, dull eyes bright with tears of pain. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.  
"Oh my dear Kristy, look what you've got yourself into." The Jäger said, emerging from the black clad group, his own cloak stained with blood not his own. A sob ripped its way up her throat.  
"You said you wouldn't hurt them." Kristy sobbed, "You said- you promised."  
The Jäger gave her mock-surprised look, "Did I now? I must have had my fingers crossed." She shook her head in confusion at his words and the Jäger sighed. "Never mind, the bottom line is that you've done your job and you can be accepted into the ranks now." He smiled at her, in a comforting way.  
"Kristy?" Kiku finally said, looking in confusion at her and the Jäger. "What . . ."  
"Kill him, by the way." The Jäger ordered and Kristy had just enough time to begin her 'no' as a soldier put a gun to Kiku's head and pulled the trigger. She started to sob again, but held it in. The Jäger noticed. "Oh my dear, this was the way it had to be." He knelt by her, "We couldn't have him blabbing the secret all over the place." His face was kind as he helped Kristy to her feet. She gripped him like he was her only life line. He looked dispassionately at the bodies around them. "Look at this, Kristy, ten more dead because you wanted to get close to them. Don't you know that you can't?" The Jäger brought her close, hugging her like a parent would. He continued speaking, "You're a danger to everyone. That's why you need to stay with me, I'll keep you and everyone safe." Kristy was crying in earnest by now, as the Jäger spoke poisonous, hypnotizing words. Kristy hung off everything that came out of his mouth. He pulled away a bit, "You understand don't you Kristy? Just follow everything I say and you'll be alright."  
Violet eyes gleamed with an unnaturally bright light, "You'll be alright."  
Kristy nodded, eyes unfocused and hazy. "I'll be alright." She murmured, "Alright, alright, I'll be . . ." Her eyes fluttered shut and she slumped into the Jäger's arms.  
He shoved the body into another soldier's arms. "Hate dealing with her." He said darkly, "Too bad she's so instrumental or I'd dispose of her right now." He sighed and stretched, "But at least now she's properly hypnotized, she won't rebel after this. That special drink works wonders."  
"Do you want us to accompany you back, sir?" a soldier asked, the Jäger's right hand man, Hund.  
The Jäger waved him away, "No need Hund." He said, mounting his horse and pulling up Kristy in front of him. "After all, it won't look believable if we don't return the beat up heroes." He took off his glasses and threw them to the ground and ran a hand through his impeccable brown hair to dishevel it. Dirt and blood were already smeared across his skin and his uniform was ripped artfully to look as if he had faced a barrage of bullets. Hund backed away from the horse.  
"The bodies?" he asked.  
"Leave them. They're called Titan fodder for a reason. Just get out of here."  
"Yes sir." Hund said and the Jäger kicked his horse to a gallop. Hund watched him go.  
"Have a safe ride, Roderich Edelstein." He muttered after they had disappeared.

* * *

**A/N: DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNN We learn who the Jäger is. Who was surprised? I wasn't. Hahaha . . . Anywho, if you've noticed, the genre has changed from 'drama' to 'tragedy'. Interpret that as you will. But I'm warning you, it gets better. (And by that I mean it gets worse)**


End file.
